The two finalists for the top job at the University of Hawaiʻi wrapped up their public meetings across the state and will be interviewed by the Board of Regents on Wednesday. HPR talked to both candidates: Julian Vasquez Heilig and Wendy Hensel.
Hensel is currently the executive vice chancellor and university provost for the 25-campus City University of New York system, also known as CUNY. Also a Harvard Law School graduate, she has been a lawyer and previously worked at Georgia State University in Atlanta.
Hensel pushed back on allegations of bias reported in a recent Honolulu Civil Beat story. HPR asked her about that but also about whether she supports the notion that the interview and deliberation process with the UH Board of Regents be in an open forum instead of behind closed doors.
Interview Highlights
On the deliberation process
HENSEL: I think this has been a tremendously public experience, and that's all for the better, as people have a chance to get to know me and understand who I am. So I'm perfectly comfortable whatever the board decides, but it's not my call... I had people who attended multiple sessions and spent hours in an audience, listening and asking questions, and that's not typical, and I think it expresses a real investment in the university, which is special, and also a realization of how really significant the responsibility and the awesomeness of the job is. So that was really great for me to see. It made me more excited about being here, but I think the questions were what you would expect and hopeful but cautious with somebody that they don't know as they should be.
On her vision for the University of Hawaiʻi
HENSEL: I think as the premier access institution for an Indigenous-fired place of learning. It is already a special place. That is very clear from my visit and one that I would be extraordinarily fortunate to then come in and add to and build upon all of the great work that President Lassner and the community has already done. I think there are, in the time that I spent really talking with people and looking at the data, I think there are areas of focus that could take the university to another level of access for people in the state, things like more broadly available online education and automation, and AI for student success and graduation and retention. I've done a lot of work in that space and there's a lot of potential at the university to really make some major moves to serve students even more effectively than it already does. So I think it's ripe for the future and ready to be even greater than it is.
On diversity in university-level education
HENSEL: I've spent my life at two highly diverse institutions, some of the most diverse in the country. Georgia State graduates more African Americans than any other university in the country. And CUNY has to be if not the most diverse institution then one of the most diverse institutions as part of New York City. I've sought out those opportunities because that's the kind of population that I want to work with, people who are excited and eager to learn and deserve every chance and opportunity to make it. I guess the way that I think about it, I think it's really evolved, we started by talking about inclusion so that you have a seat at the table and then we moved on to belonging, that you don't feel odd sitting at the table. I think at this point my definition is that you matter, that when you're not at the table, the absence of your voice is noted, and your voice needs to be heard. I think that's an important grounding of all the work that I've done. And part of the reason that I spend such a focus listening as part of my work, listening to understand and find community ways to move forward together in ways that are culturally sensitive.
On the Honolulu Civil Beat story
HENSEL: Well, I think it's pretty straightforward. There has never been a complaint of discrimination filed against me. And, as I pointed out to the author of that article, the 35-page decision, that was not filed against me — never mentioned my name, and so it's simply false. People can unfortunately in public life — I think anybody who's in these positions understands people can say whatever they want. But there's also an environment where you need to show that. And I want people to know that not only has that never happened, never been a complaint filed against me and no finding of discrimination, but that my 25-year career demonstrates my commitment to diversity. And you can certainly speak with the school, they will back that up and all of the thousands of people, highly diverse people that I've worked with over the years, that I'm really proud of that work and I stand by it.
This interview aired on The Conversation on Oct. 14, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
